Having Common Means Actuating Or Releasing Interlocking Components Or Surfaces Patents (Class 24/631)
  • Patent number: 9241545
    Abstract: A buckle assembly comprising: a socket arrangement for releasably retaining a lug; and an operating handle rotatably mounted with respect to the socket arrangement and configured such that, upon rotation, the lug is released from the socket arrangement, the operating handle comprising first and second buttons diametrically opposed from one another, configured such that rotation of the operating handle with respect to the socket arrangement is prevented unless both the first and second buttons are simultaneously depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Graham Hartnell
  • Patent number: 8656566
    Abstract: A buckle of a seat belt has a seat belt buckle body, a releasing button module, a spring module, and a buckle module. The releasing button module is pivotally mounted in the seat belt buckle body and has a spring recess and an abutted portion. The spring module has a buckle spring mounted in the spring recess and a buckle spring block mounted on the buckle spring. The buckle module engages the releasing button module, and abuts the buckle spring block. When the releasing button module is pressed and the buckle module disengages from the releasing button module, the buckle spring will spring the buckle spring block, the buckle module will depart from the seat belt buckle body, and then the buckle spring block is stopped on the abutted portion. As a result, the buckle spring will not spring out of the seat belt buckle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Inventor: Tung-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 8448308
    Abstract: A buckle includes a buckle body, two first retainers, and two second retainers connected respectively and detachably to the first retainers. The buckle body includes an insert groove having two upwardly facing openings, two stop portions, and a resilient pressing arm. The first retainers are inserted into the insert groove via the openings, respectively. Each of the first retainers includes a resilient retaining plate biased to a retaining position to prevent removal of the corresponding first retainer from the buckle body. Each of the resilient retaining plates is removable from the retaining position. When the resilient pressing arm is pressed, each of the resilient retaining plates is removed from the retaining position by the resilient pressing arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Nuna International B.V.
    Inventors: Jonathan Kirk Mountz, Nathanael Saint
  • Patent number: 8096027
    Abstract: A twin buckle assembly is provided with dual release positions. The buckle assembly can lockingly secure two buckle tongues. The buckle assembly includes a single, pivotal latch mechanism that can separately secure one or both of the buckle tongues. Pivotal movement of the latch occurs upon rotation of the buckle cover. Thus, one tongue is released at a first rotational position of the cover and both tongues are released at a second rotational position of the cover. The buckle assembly, thereby, allows the independent removal of lap and shoulder belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Conax Florida Corporation
    Inventors: Marc Jung, Jason Chin
  • Patent number: 7904997
    Abstract: Buckles for inflatable personal restraint systems and associated systems and methods. In one embodiment, a buckle assembly can include a body and a latching mechanism carried by the body. The latching mechanism is configured to engage a corresponding tongue portion when the tongue is inserted into a front portion of the body. The buckle assembly also includes a cover operably coupled to the body and configured to pivotably move about an axis between a first position in which the latching mechanism engages the tongue and a second position in which the latching mechanism disengages the tongue. The buckle assembly further includes one or more counterweight components carried by the body and positioned such that the buckle assembly has a center of gravity (a) between the front portion of the body and a vertical plane extending through the axis, and (b) below a horizontal plane extending through the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: AmSafe, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Nick Foubert
  • Patent number: 7712196
    Abstract: A belt lock includes a plug (20) and an attachment (30) to be detachably attached to the plug (20). The attachment (30) includes a belt attaching hole (32). The plug (20) is provided with a rail (26). The attachment (30) is provided with a groove (31) to be slidably engaged with the rail (26). The rail (26) is provided with a lock section (a recess) (27). The groove (31) is provided with a to-be-locked section (a protrusion) (34) to be engaged with the lock section (the recess) (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Kawamura, Ming Hui Chen
  • Patent number: 7360287
    Abstract: A coupling device for restraining belts, particularly for children's safety seats for motor-vehicles, which includes a body intended to be connected to at least one belt branch and a pair of tongue elements intended to be connected to respective belt branches, each tongue element including an attachment portion for connection with the respective belt branch and a stem portion arranged to be received and locked in the body and forming a catch tooth for locking the tongue element in the body. Each tongue element further comprises a metal insert wholly covered by a plastic or rubber housing or coating to protect user from burning from the coupling device which has been exposed to the sun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: SABELT S.p.A.
    Inventors: Claudia Cerruti, Bernardo Fassero
  • Patent number: 7178208
    Abstract: A seat belt improvement providing seat belt buckling assistance and automatic release of the seat belt. The seat belt assembly includes an electromagnet located in the seat belt buckle that aligns and draws the seat belt tongue into the seat belt buckle when the seat belt tongue is in close proximity to the seat belt buckle. A solenoid located in the seat belt buckle is used to release the seat belt tongue from the buckle. When the vehicle transmission is in the “park” position, the ignition is turned off, and the key is removed, the solenoid is energized to release the seat belt tongue. Further, a switch may be conveniently located in the vehicle such as on the seat belt buckle, near the window, on the door, or the like to activate the solenoid and release the seat belt assembly without having to turn off the vehicle ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventors: Calvin R Bentsen, Robert G Walker
  • Patent number: 7065843
    Abstract: A safety belt latch for a car includes a base, a cover, and a rotation member. Thus, the flattened opening of the connecting plate is spaced from the fixed post so that the fixed post is fixed independently and is not moved with the connecting plate, and the fixed snap of the safety belt is secured to the base of the safety belt latch by the fixed post of the cover rigidly and stably, thereby preventing the fixed snap of the safety belt from detaching from the safety belt latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Inventor: Wen-Yuan Wu
  • Patent number: 6619753
    Abstract: A car seat including a seat body having a seat back and a seat pan for receiving an occupant thereon, and at least one shoulder harness coupled to the seat body and being located to fit over the torso of an occupant to retain the occupant on the seat body. The car seat further includes a buckle for releasably coupling the shoulder harness to the seat body, the buckle including a bracket coupled to the shoulder harness and a base coupled to the seat body. The bracket includes a gripping portion and a tongue and is releasably couplable to the base. The buckle is in a latched condition when the bracket is coupled to the base and is in an unlatched condition when the bracket is not coupled to the base. One of the gripping portion or the base includes a notification portion that has a visual property different from any adjacent areas of the one of the gripping portion or the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Evenflo Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R. Takayama
  • Patent number: 6513208
    Abstract: A buckle assembly configured to receive a tongue and selectively engaging the tongue with a fixed latch. The buckle assembly includes a release button, a frame and an urging member. The release button receives the tongues and also slidably retains two ejectors. The frame has two fixed lathes that engage the latch receiving slots on the tongues when the tongues are at least partially inserted into the release button. In one embodiment, insertion of the tongues into the release button causes the displacement of two ejectors such that the urging member is able to urge the release button into a closed configuration in which the release button is flush with the frame. When the release button is urged into the closed configuration, the latch receiving slots are engaged by the fixed latches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Wonderland Nursery Goods Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James A. Sack, Arthur L. Gehr
  • Patent number: 6273505
    Abstract: A web adjuster for securing a web and a seat including the web adjuster. The web extends through the web adjuster including a mounting plate that is mounted to the seat. A sliding plate moves relative to the mounting plate for lockingly engaging the web. Resilient biasing elements bias the sliding plate into locking engagement, and a release handle displaces the sliding plate against the resilient biasing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Carnahan
  • Patent number: 6219890
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for escaping from a vehicle include providing safety escape apparatus including a safety belt having a buckle on a free portion of the belt, the buckle having an exposed edge, and the free portion being long enough to allow the exposed edge of the buckle to be placed in contact with a window of the vehicle. A tip harder than glass is affixed to the exposed edge of the buckle so as to extend outwardly therefrom. Escape is performed by disengaging the seat belt from a safety engaged position around an occupant, gripping the buckle with the tip extending outwardly, and forcibly driving the tip into an adjacent window to break the window and allow egress through the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Egression Technologies, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Douglas F. Souther
  • Patent number: 5987716
    Abstract: A tongue assembly (2) for a seat belt (1) has a plate (20) provided with a sharp-pointed projection (23) on one side thereof, and a tongue portion (22); and a cover (3) of a synthetic resin covering the plate (20). The cover (3) has a front part (31), a back part (32), a projection covering part (34), and a base end part (33) fastened to the plate (20) along the other side opposite the side on which the sharp-pointed projection (23) is formed. The front part (31) and the back part (32) are connected to the base end part (33) by thinned hinge portions (35). In an emergency, the projection covering part (34) of the cover (3) is opened, the front part (31) and the back part (32) of the cover (3) are turned on the hinge portions (35) and are folded back so that the sharp-pointed projection (23) is exposed, and the front part (31) and the back part (32) extend behind the side of the plate (20) opposite the side provided with the sharp-pointed projection (23) and overlap each other to form a grip (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Arai
  • Patent number: 5813097
    Abstract: A dual tongue buckle includes a single latch member and a single ejection member housed within a buckle main body, and a pair of tongue members that are slidable relative to each other. When the first tongue is advanced sufficiently into the buckle main body over the latch member, the tongue forces the ejection member to rotate away from that side of the latch member allowing the latch member to lock to the first tongue, while the opposite end of the ejection member maintains the opposite end of the latch member in a pre-latched position. When the second tongue is advanced sufficiently into the buckle main body, it forces the opposite end of the ejection member away from the latching member to thereby lock the second tongue thereto. A releasing member depresses the latch member so that the ejection member at least partially ejects any of the tongue members latched therein from the buckle main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Indiana Mills and Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Woellert, Michael A. Wiseman
  • Patent number: 4803760
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved coupling system capable of releasably joining and two or more of a variety of cooperative male/female mating items to be temporarily joined and released by a remotely positioned operator by means of a cable connected to the male member. Spring-biased positive forces within the female assembly otherwise tending to separate the male/female members are used to reliably capture the male component. A relatively small adjustable triggering force activated by the cable moving an activating pin triggers ejecting movement of the female capturing members. The male member forms a cavity containing gripping members that slidably grip the cable. The cavity is accessible to the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Inventor: Jerome D. Gelula
  • Patent number: 4757579
    Abstract: A buckle for child-restraining devices which includes a hook plate pivotally provided within a buckle body, the hook plate being formed with a belt-fastening portion and tongue-anchoring projections, characterized in that the belt-fastening portion is provided in a position where a rotation moment in a direction of the tongue-anchoring projections being pressed against the hook plate is generated on the hook plate when a tension force from the belt is exerted to the belt-fastening portion. The buckle for child-restraining devices has a lightweight, simple structure and enables a simple buckling operation with certainly, thus resulting in reduction of the cost for manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Syuzo Nishino, Naoki Morita
  • Patent number: 4711003
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a unique, self-aligning, quick-releasing coupling system capable of releasably joining male/female items for permanent or temporary joining. One or preferably two jaw members are supported for movement between capturing and releasing positions on a support structure on a pair of cylindrical pivots connected to the structure. Tension springs carried by the capturing members and interrelated with the support structure biases the capturing members to the releasing position. A locking member including a shaft with a pair of pins capable of being rotated via the shaft in and out of a pair of recesses in the jaw members from releasing mode either respectively locks the jaw members into the capturing mode or unlocks from the jaw members in the releasing mode. The shaft is operated by a lever connected to a brass plate by an expansion spring which biases the pins via the shaft towards the locking mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Inventor: Jerome D. Gelula
  • Patent number: 4685176
    Abstract: A safety fastener for lugs includes two bolts pivotally mounted to a block in a cylindrical hollow body. The bolts can move between a lug-engaging latching disposition and a lug-releasing unlatching disposition, and are biased to the latching disposition by springs. A carrier disc is rotatable between a locking disposition and a release disposition to rotate a bolt-blocking member from a retracted disposition to a bolt-obstructing disposition. When the member is in its retracted disposition it allows the bolts to be displaced out of their latching disposition to accept the lugs. When the member is in its bolt-obstructing disposition it prevents this displacement of the bolts, and therefore prevents engagement of the lugs.A yoke is pivotable on the carrier from a rest disposition to a displacement disposition protruding from the carrier only when the carrier is in its release disposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Aircraft Materials Limited
    Inventor: Martin B. Burnside
  • Patent number: 4656700
    Abstract: A lightweight, multiple-point, quick-release, safety buckle for body harnesses is disclosed in two preferred embodiments having a pair of shoulder harnesses, a waist belt and a crotch strap having connector ends meeting to engage within the device which has a housing comprised of a plastic cover rotatable relative to a plastic base which encloses a pair of metal plates to form a retaining space for the harness end-connectors and a plurality of cam-actuated pawls to releasably-retain the strap connector ends for their quick-release upon a rotation of the cover, and further, containing a finger-actuated lever to selectively quick-release only one or more of the straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tanaka, Hans Unger
  • Patent number: 4644615
    Abstract: Lock for safety belts, comprising a lock housing enclosing a lock mechanism having a release member for manual operation, and a member of lock tongues which can be inserted into the lock housing for co-operation with the lock mechanism. The lock mechanism comprises a number of lock plates one for each lock tongue, which are mounted in the lock housing for rotation about a common axis and each form an abutment for the associated lock tongue and a hook for retaining locking engagement with the lock tongue and are spring-biased to be engaged with the lock tongue against the spring bias when the lock tongue is inserted into the lock housing to be engaged with the abutment, an arresting element which can be actuated manually to be engaged with each lock plate to arrest temporarily the lock plate in the engaged position, and a latch member which is spring-biased to engage the lock plates when all lock plates are arrested in the engaged position, to retain permanently the lock plates in said position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: Broderna Holmbergs Fabriks AB
    Inventor: Lars Hultqvist
  • Patent number: 4610058
    Abstract: A central lock for safety belts. With such a lock, especially in aircraft and sports cars, where the lock has an external bead behind which the connection members can catch, which in the process can freely align themselves in the respective belt-pulling direction, and where the lock also has control elements for fastening the connection members, for holding them securely in place, and for releasing them, with these control elements being operatively coupled with a manually operable rotary member which is disposed over a stud in conjunction with which the various movements in the lock occur, there exists the problem of an expedient arrangement of the many necessary components while at the same time avoiding two great a structural height. To reduce the overall structural size, and to provide as few components as possible, a retention and release element is disposed around the stud, with this element having a part which extends parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1986
    Assignee: Autoflug GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Stemmildt, Hubert Nohren
  • Patent number: 4602406
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved coupling system capable of releasably joining and two or more of a variety of cooperative male/female mating items to be temporarily joined and released by a remotely positioned operator by means of a cable connected to the male member. Spring-biased positive forces within the female assembly otherwise tending to separate the male/female members are used to reliably capture the male component. A relatively small adjustable triggering force activated by the cable moving an activating pin triggers ejecting movement of the female capturing members. The male member forms a cavity containing gripping members that slidably grip the cable. The cavity is accessible to the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1986
    Inventor: Jerome D. Gelula
  • Patent number: 4589172
    Abstract: A central belt lock, particularly for a parachute harness, includes a housing, a main pin or journal which is manually rotatable and axially movable therein, and an anchor plate which cooperates with a plurality of retaining bolts for the belt attachment or coupling members. There is dealt with the problem of allowing the belt attachment members to be released and thus disconnected from the lock even if the parachutist for some reason is unable to actuate the lock manually, after making a jump over the sea. Therefore, a central belt lock is provided to be activated by sea water and can be released thereby, without affecting the function thereof when operated manually. For this purpose, the main journal (2a) has at least one longitudinal bore in which a push rod (12) is mounted so as to be longitudinally movable. An actuator (20, 27) is associated with the push rod and is actuated when coming into contact with water, axially moving the push rod (12) and hence the anchor plate (5) with the retaining bolts (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Autoflug GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Hoenigs, Hermann Reuschenbach
  • Patent number: 4578844
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a unique, self-aligning, quick-releasing coupling system capable of releasably joining male/female items for permanent or temporary joining. One or preferably two jaw members are supported for movement between capturing and releasing positions on a support structure on a pair of cylindrical pivots connected to the structure. Tension springs carried by the capturing members and interrelated with the support structure biases the capturing members to the releasing position. A locking member including a shaft with a pair of pins capable of being rotated via the shaft in and out of a pair of recesses in the jaw members from releasing mode either respectively locks the jaw members into the capturing mode or unlocks from the jaw members in the releasing mode. The shaft is operated by a lever connected to a brass plate by an expansion spring which biases the pins via the shaft towards the locking mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1986
    Inventor: Jerome D. Gelula
  • Patent number: 4570310
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved coupling system capable of releasably joining two or more of a variety of cooperative male/female mating items to be temporarily joined and released by a remotely positioned operator by means of a cable connected to the male member. Spring-biased positive forces within the female assembly otherwise tending to separate the male/female members are used to reliably capture the male component. A relatively small adjustable triggering force activated by the cable moving an activating pin triggers ejecting movement of the female capturing members. The male member forms a cavity containing gripping members that slidably grip the cable. The cavity is accessible to the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1986
    Inventor: Jerome D. Gelula